Summary
This report assessed workforce capability and future skills needs in the Central West NSW forest and wood products sector.
The report highlighted an ageing workforce with limited diversity and barriers to training, contributing to skills shortages across technical trades, mobile plant operators, and forest scientists. To address these shortages employers have utilised in-house, non-accredited training for new entrants, which has limited the development of formal, transferable skills across the industry.
Other barriers include a shortage of qualified trainers and misalignment between courses and industry needs, with employers preferred online training, stronger school engagement, and coordinated regional training programs to address these challenges.
The report outlines three workforce development models: upskilling the existing workforce, recruiting new entrants through apprenticeships and traineeships, and building school-to-industry pathways. These models aim to close skills gaps and ensure a resilient workforce for industry growth.
Acknowledgement of funding
This report was commissioned by the Central West New South Wales Regional Forestry Hub with funding from the Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Disclaimer
Reports prepared for Regional Forestry Hubs, and any recommendations contained in the reports, are provided as received by the Hub and are not endorsed positions of the Hub. They do not constitute Australian Government policy.
